Sfouf with Date and Tahini

This is a variation on the classic sfouf cake, developed in the Bekaa Valley where date palms were historically absent and dates were a luxury import from Iraq or the Gulf. When dates became more accessible in the late Ottoman period, Bekaa families began adding them to sfouf during the winter months, creating a denser, more caramelized version that kept well in cold weather. The tahini swirl is the southern Lebanese contribution — families from Sidon and Tyre, who use tahini in almost every sweet preparation, began adding it to the sfouf batter as a flavor contrast to the turmeric. The result is a cake that layers the nutty, bitter tahini against the sweet dates and golden turmeric — three flavors that should not work together but absolutely do.